Feather FHS-10 blades have been controversial because of price, longevity, and concerns about lack of competitive sources. When I got involved with these blades 20 months ago, the only sources I found for US consumers were Oneblade and Maggard.
I stumbled over the FHS-10s on Amazon a few days ago, and took delivery of some Amazon FHS-10s this afternoon. So far as I can tell, the packaging and blades are identical to what I already own, right down to the (annoying) glue spots. As I write this, I have pulled up five Amazon listings from differently named vendors. Four of the offers are Prime with Free Returns. The price per blade varies from 62.7 cents (100 count) to 75 cents (60 count), with 30 and 50 blade offerings at intermediate unit prices. These are still expensive blades, but that said, the low price is less than any I have seen before. The fifth seller (not Prime) ships from Japan, and lists "USPS delayed shipping", due perhaps to the corona virus.
I don't think this means that FHS-10s are now a competitive commodity, like DE blades. So far as I know, Feather (?The Kai Group?) is still the only producer of FHS-10 format blades. They could impose MAP restrictions at any time. I also don't put any stock in Amazon "sold by" names unless it is a seller I know. In fact, the FHS-10 seller names have changed since this morning. They seem to be popping up like dandelions, and except for OneBlade's listing, the same bullet point text is always used. Someone had to provide it.
What I think may be different now is that US distribution may now be controlled by Feather. The multiple offers and direct shipment from Japan make it seem that way to me. I mention all this because some shavers, who believed or knew that OneBlade controlled the US distribution of FHS-10s, were troubled by the idea that the same entity controlling the FHS-10 blade also sold razors that use the FHS-10. Controversy related to the razor per se will no doubt continue, and the blades remain expensive and short-lived for most shavers. But a contentious part of the supply chain controversy may now be blunted.
I stumbled over the FHS-10s on Amazon a few days ago, and took delivery of some Amazon FHS-10s this afternoon. So far as I can tell, the packaging and blades are identical to what I already own, right down to the (annoying) glue spots. As I write this, I have pulled up five Amazon listings from differently named vendors. Four of the offers are Prime with Free Returns. The price per blade varies from 62.7 cents (100 count) to 75 cents (60 count), with 30 and 50 blade offerings at intermediate unit prices. These are still expensive blades, but that said, the low price is less than any I have seen before. The fifth seller (not Prime) ships from Japan, and lists "USPS delayed shipping", due perhaps to the corona virus.
I don't think this means that FHS-10s are now a competitive commodity, like DE blades. So far as I know, Feather (?The Kai Group?) is still the only producer of FHS-10 format blades. They could impose MAP restrictions at any time. I also don't put any stock in Amazon "sold by" names unless it is a seller I know. In fact, the FHS-10 seller names have changed since this morning. They seem to be popping up like dandelions, and except for OneBlade's listing, the same bullet point text is always used. Someone had to provide it.
What I think may be different now is that US distribution may now be controlled by Feather. The multiple offers and direct shipment from Japan make it seem that way to me. I mention all this because some shavers, who believed or knew that OneBlade controlled the US distribution of FHS-10s, were troubled by the idea that the same entity controlling the FHS-10 blade also sold razors that use the FHS-10. Controversy related to the razor per se will no doubt continue, and the blades remain expensive and short-lived for most shavers. But a contentious part of the supply chain controversy may now be blunted.
